Most Kenyans unwilling to sign petition for national vote, poll results show

More than 50 per cent of Kenyans are not willing to sign the petition that would lead to a referendum if called upon to do so. This is according to an opinion poll commissioned by Standard Media Group on  Kenyans’ opinion on the referendum.

Of the regions polled, Central and Rift Valley showed the greatest levels of disinterest in the process, with more than 84 per cent of those polled from the President’s backyard saying they would not support calls to sign the petition. More than 69 per cent of those polled from the Deputy President’s stronghold are similarly opposed.

“We are still in a system of political patriarchy. Although there might be a few dissenting voices from these regions, the majority of legislators will rally behind whatever decisions their party leaders make,” said political analyst and lecturer at United States International University, Prof Macharia Munene.

Results from Coast, North Eastern, Western and Nyanza show strong support for the referendum echoing the stance of the regions’ political elite.

Suna East MP Junet Mohammed says the coalition has received nearly two million signatures and people all over the country are well versed with CORD’s demands.

“We are telling our followers to sign the petition for a better future, better security and better governance, and they have responded. No one would want to vote against the basic things that will ensure they enjoy life,” Mohammed says.

His constituency is in Nyanza, where more than 78 per cent of those polled said they were for the referendum and would sign the petition.

A majority of those polled from the Coast, once touted as a possible swing bloc whenever a vote is needed, also said they would opt for a referendum.

Among the most emotive issues at the Coast include matters of land ownership. Of those in support of these calls, 4.2 per cent said they would support the referendum for land reform.

Central Kenya sways towards the views of President Kenyatta. The referendum recently threatened to split the ruling coalition when, in a seemingly coordinated message, both the President and the Senate Majority Leader, Kithure Kindiki, told politicians elected on a Jubilee ticket and supporting the calls for a referendum to resign.

Some 84.4 per cent of those polled in Central Kenya are against the referendum. Reasons for this vary from the belief that more time is needed for the Constitution to be fully implemented, at 14.8 per cent, to the 14.1 per cent who believe that the referendum will be of little benefit to the people and is a waste of money.

Kieni MP Kanini Kega told The Standard on Sunday that the numbers do not have anything to do with political patriarchy, but that the people have realised the futility of the referendum push.

“I am sure that even if the issues are subjected to a vote, the referendum will be defeated. But why get to that point of having a poll and waste Sh8 billion?” asks the Kieni legislator.

He argues that most of the issues raised by the referenda do not even require a plebiscite. He also says that it is too soon to subject the Constitution to the changes suggested by CORD.

“In as much as we agree that some articles in the Constitution need to be changed, this is not the right time. We have constitutional commissions, such as the Constitutional Implementation Commission, mandated by law to deal with any issues that may arise in the implementation of the Constitution,” he says. “And they have a five-year mandate. Let us give them time and at the end, they will advise the country on what needs to be done and how, on matters Constitution.”

According to the poll, Eastern Province is still game for politicians from both camps. The difference between the ‘ayes’ and the ‘nays’ stands at just over seven per cent. Both the President, Deputy President and the leader of the official opposition have all made recent forays into the Eastern region in bid to marshal the numbers for their causes.